Wednesday, 27 November 2013

That awkward time when we get to see ‘the anointed’ bands
who shamelessly suckle on the tax-payers tit, get their hobbies subsidised via the good peoples at:

So let me apply the blowtorch to this month’s (November2013) recipients of taxpayer funding.Yes, I hate this system:

Dan Aux is Australian! As Rob Mayes subsequently points out on the 'Sounds Like Us' Facebook, one of the judges, Willy Macalister works with Dan at George FM. I gather Willy did the right thing and abstained from voting on his work-mates submission?

N.Z Unfair couldn’t even get the song name and band right
for ‘Bangladesh’ a song by Hourglass. They had it ‘Hour Glass (sic)’ by
Bangladesh!

Moorhouse is a fucking naff boy-band like 500 others
floating around the globe allowing girls to stuff pillow between their legs at
night and hump them.

There’s Midnight Gallery’s song ‘Scars’ featuring Raiza Biza.
Raiza wasn’t not happy with one bite of the apple. He got another shot in
November round of funding with his video ‘Flashback’ – which I might add is
already on You Tube.

This is the video for The Wlyds ‘Confusion’. Why are tax-payers now funding a second one?

Yuma Zouma? I searched google. I searched Facebook. I
searched Bandcamp. I drew a blank apart from a similarly spelt South African
dancing troupe. How they are going to make it in the modern day of the internet
is beyond me. Clearly this small hurdle of having zero internet presence is no
impediment to NZOA funding.

Part of keeping New Zealand On Air we are funding an artist
called ‘Grand Rapids’. The namesake has
a murder rate that makes Soweto seem safe. This is the cover to his first EP. Is
that the beach at St Heliers perhaps? Lyall Bay?

Brooke Duff is getting funding for ‘Nothing Compares’. Tell
me this is 'the' cover and I will be cutting and pasting this entire post to the
Broadcasting Minister, after I stop primeval screaming and spending 15 minutes on my punch bag.

There is a video for 'More Than I was' by James Read (ex Feelers) already up-loaded on You Tube a month ago personally by none other than James. So far its gleaned a paltry 150 views. Surely that was
feedback enough for NZOA to say “no” to $6,000?

Providing a link here would have only encouraged him.

Last but not least this is my bands video.

I don’t give ‘a rats’ if you like it or not.

I'm not here to critique the bands mentioned, nor their videos but 'the system of funding'.

The base criteria, which effectively is being washed over: to promote New Zealand Music.

Why I’ve included it, is because (a.) it is currently happily
chugging away on You Tube out-scoring a number of the ‘blessed’ videos you paid
for over time (b.) it was a real hoot to make, came from our own creativity not some
production companies (c.) was made with zero budget (d.) it’s a shameless New
Zealand song which is a change (e.) and why the hell not plug your own stuff?! Piss all other people will.

So we all need to move past our individual loves and hates
when it comes to local music/artists. Okay I’ll make an exception for Moorhouse and the bloke from The Feelers.
And ask yourself “Is N.Z on Air working to promote New Zealand music” given some of the examples provided? I say not. I say NZOA's criteria is way too loose.The logical starting point for change: can anyone actually define what New Zealand Music is?